Mark Of A Hero
by spotty-bee
Summary: Tsuyu Asui awoke dazed and confused in a hospital bed, breathing through a tube. An Au where the USJ incident didn't end as smoothly for Class 1-A.
1. Chapter 1

This is a story I've wanted to write for a while, as I always wondered- What if the USJ incident didn't have such a 'good ending' given the circumstances.- What if more people got seriously hurt, as a normal outcome would likely be?

Well heres my take!

* * *

Pain.

Horrible, thought stopping, throbbing, burning pain greeted Tsuyu Asui when she regained consciousness. Her face felt heavy and her mouth was filled with… something… Wearily she opened her eyes… Well she tried to open her eyes. They refused to do so as one felt taped shut, like there was actual duck tape stopping even the smallest muscle twitch, while the other let in a miniscule amount of light before clenching back shut, her head pulsing an ache, only adding to her misery.

What the hell…?

Tsu tried to swallow, feeling tubes and stuffing in her mouth, it was dry as a bone, but the motion hurt so much she chose to stop. Not to mention she didn't know what was in her mouth to swallow. I felt like couch stuffing or something...

She twitched her hands. Her left had something heavy on it. Her right was free, but she was so tried it felt like she had weights all over her body. Something made her head pulse again and she realized it was a noise. A machine would make a compressed whoosh and click, the noise was on a loop and the ache pounded in her head with each repeat. She was wondering if she could find it and turn it off, but it hurt to move…

As the noise went on she realized there was another rhythmical occurrence with the noise, beside her headache. It was the rising and falling of her chest.

She was on a ventilator.

Instantly Tsu tried to open her eyes again. Her left eye still didn't move. Her right did as it was told but slowly, taking a moment to burn as it adjusted to the light of the room. As this happened Tsu raised her right hand, lifting up to feel for a mask around her face. Her large groping hand managed to find her face, but there was no mask to pull off.

There was a thick bandage like cast there however.

Through her lead like fingers she felt that it covered almost all of her face. Her mouth, her nose… Everything but her right eye.

This was bad. This was very bad. Tsu felt along to some tubes going into what could very well be her death mask. A thick two for where her nose was. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, but she found herself unable to intake more than the tube was willing to give. She could hear a beeping noise somewhere and she grasped at one of the tubes, wondering if she could just pull one out-

Oh god that moved something deep inside her throat! Note to self, don't pull on that.

"Asui?" A voice came over the noise. Thick and wheezing. She didn't recognize it at all and she took another deep, halted breath. "Asui, calm down…"

Tsu didn't really care what the mystery figure was saying. She couldn't remember how she got here or what happened. All she knew was she needed more air. This thing wasn't giving her enough! Maybe she'd get more if she sat upright?

She shifted and her back screamed at her, her legs yowling with each twitch. When she found couldn't move her breathing got worse, there wasn't enough air! The beeping got faster, then it howled shrilly with an elongated alarm.

"Asui-!" The voice got louder with the noise.

Then a door burst open, feet marching into the room. There were people circled above her but she couldn't make them out, blinded by the light glaring behind them. She whined in her throat, still not sure where she was or who anyone was around her.

Was she kidnapped by villans, wanting to keep her alive for information? Or was she at a hospital?

One figure leaned in and she could make out some features. A woman, she had on a surgical mask and her was hair up in a bun with a hair net. She couldn't see a quirk on the woman, but her eyes were kind and sad looking. A nurse.

Hospital.

"Shhh, let's not grab at that Asui." A hand took Tsu's own and pulled it back down to the bed. "You need that for now. Let's leave it alone." Tsu could see movement from the other nurse, injecting something into an IV going down to what was likely her arm. She made another worried croak and the first nurse stroked some hair on the right side of her head."Your safe now, no one will hurt you anymore."

Hands keeps tracing lightly through her hair, but only on the right side. The other nurse stepped away and there was a numbing sensation that trickled over from the one side of her body, easing her pain and relaxing her breathing, coaxing her back into the ventilator's motions, anxiety melting away.

She lay back against her pillows and stared vacantly at the ceiling. The hand didn't stop stroking and Tsu was thankful, it brought her a lot of comfort. "There we go, just a little something to help with the pain." The nurse said warmly.

Tsu blinked up at her. "Thanks." She said.

Well. She tried to say that. Cotton and tubes squirmed in her mouth and throat when she tried to speak, some muffled version of her words huffing out from the bandages. Oddly, even with all this stuff crammed into her oral socket, she felt like something was missing, like she was empty…

"Now now, don't try and talk, you've had quite the experience." The nurse said. "What you need is rest. You won't be getting out of bed for a couple days, so make yourself comfy. If you need anything, just press this-" The nurse pushed a remote into her hand, putting Tsu's thumb to the button lightly to show her where it was. "And we'll come and see what we can do. Till your better, just pretend your a princess, waited on hand and foot."

'And the frog becomes the princess.' Tsu thought in amusement.

"Is she ok?" The raspy voice came again, sounding like it was just a little to her left.

"She's not in any pain." The nurse said, tucking Tsu sheets up higher. "She'll heal in a while."

Not in any pain. She'll heal. Why did these words bother her so much?

"I'll go tell your little friends your awake. You two get some rest." The nurse ordered. "They'll come in to see you but you'll have to keep the visit short."

Feet clicked on linoleum and Tsu was back to staring at the ceiling. She blinked, enjoying the warm feeling of heavy pain medication just starting to work in her system. She could hear sheets moving as the person sharing the room with her moved on their bed.

"Asui?" The voice called again. "Are you ok?"

Tsu's neck cracked when she turned her head a little. She suspected that it would have hurt like hell had she not been just medicated. It was hard to see over everything to her left side, but she managed to see a portion of the other side of the small room.

Midoriya was sitting in the bed beside her. His eyes looked sunken and he was pale, appearing like he had aged about twenty years since she had last seen him. He had a worried, painful expression on his face, mouth a thin line.

Tsu tried to say she was fine, but it came out a misunderstood, muffled mess. Midoriya started to frown at that, but she didn't want to worry him, so she gave a shaky thumbs up around the nurse call button.

It didn't seem to convince him.

Honestly Tsu wasn't sure how fine she actually was. The pain she felt before was some of the worst she had experienced, and the ventilator machine was a little concerning. Thankfully she could at least move, that was a good sign… Hopefully.

"Guys." Tsu heard the door open again as some people came inside. Uraraka voice was unmistakable and Tsu saw her come between the beds, wearing her costume and a sterile mask. "Oh my god…" She put a hand on her mouth over the mask, looking between them.

"Uraraka." Iida whispered, though Tsu could barely hear over the machines. "Put your hand down."

"Oh- I didn't…" She whipped it down quickly, an uneasy look on her face. "Sorry."

"S'fine." Midoriya said softly, shifting on his bed. "I understand."

"How are you two feeling?" Iida asked, walking to Uraraka's side, putting a hand on her shoulder. He was also in his costume and wearing a mask.

"Kinda lousy…" Midoriya said, with a small smile that was a touch forced.

Tsu didn't try to speak this time, she just gave them a thumbs up to.

"You both had us worried for a moment." Iida said, his glasses glinting in the light so Tsu couldn't see his expression. "The other students who made it out of the training without being hospitalized are visiting those who were also injured. They'll likely come see you later, visiting hours end in twenty minutes, so that maybe tomorrow, but were making sure everyone gets a visit tonight.

"Thanks." Midoriya said. He looked at the floor and frowned. "Who else was hurt?"

Iida and Uraraka shared a glance, but Iida spoke. "From what I understand everyone got a mild scruffing but Jiro,Yaoyorozu, Ojiro and Bakugo were the only others badly injured, though we don't know how badly… and umm…" He paused, looking to the window by Midoriya's bed. Uraraka wilted at some kind of unspoken news.

"What?" Midoriya asked.

"... Mineta and Kaminari both had fatal injuries."

Tsu's head rolled back to lay on her bed, she stared up at the ceiling in shock.

"Th-their dead..?" Midoriya whispered, voice tight and strained with emotion.

The room fell silent, no one spoke and the only noise was Tsu's ventilator pumping. Midoriya's bed creaked before he began to sob softly, and had Tsu been able to she would have cried as well. Yet her face was packed and the tubes down her neck wouldn't allow such movement. She could only stare at the ceiling with a broken look. Uraraka took a seat beside the mourning boy and spoke softly to him, to try and comfort him

Iida sighed sadly. "Honestly with the amount of villains in the U.S.J it's a miracle any of us made it out alive. However such casualties should never be taken lightly…"

U.S.J… That's right, they were doing rescue training. What had happened again? Villians? Tsu tried to remember, but she found she couldn't recall anything after cooking breakfast for her little brother and sister.

"Its so unreal to think they were with us just this morning…" Uraraka whimpered, Tsu looked back over to see she and Midoriya were curled around each other. "This was supposed to be a simple training exercise…"

"What happened today was wrong." Iida said, face twisted in anguish. "But it's a reminder of the difficult path we have chosen to follow. Everyday could be our last, and sometimes no amount of hero work will change that…"

"I should have done something!" Midoriya sobbed, clutching at Uraraka tightly.

"There wasn't anything you could have done… You weren't even near Kaminari." Uraraka spoke, running her hands through his hair.

"I got off so easy compared to them…"

"Easy?" Iida said incredulously. "Easy?! Midoriya, you were gravely wounded! You still are gravely wounded!"

"This means nothing when other people have died!" The boy responded and Tsu felt her eye round at the sight of Deku lifting up the elbow length stump that remained of his right arm. It was tightly wrapped in gauze and had small spots of blood showing through. "My family will at least get some part of me back…"

"Just because others are in pain or have suffered farther than you doesn't mean your own pain isn't valid, Deku." Uraraka frowed, taking his free hand in her own.

"My pain means nothing." He insisted. "Not in the face of this!"

"Do injuries not matter? Does Asui's pain mean nothing because others have died instead?" Iida asked, pointing to the frog girl in her bed.

"What?!" The boy blinked and looked at Tsu quickly. "N- no, of course it matters! She's a victim in this!"

"Well so are you." Iida said. "And there is no other way about it. You could argue you've trained for this, but so have they. All of us have never faced real combat before and we were thrown into the heart of the lions den today. We lost people, good people. That much is for certain… However to disregard the pain of the living because of it, is a disrespect to their memory and what they fought for. Even if your just talking about your own."

Midoriya stared at Iida before deflating in his seat. Uraraka gave him a comforting squeeze. "I understand Deku, this is hard to bare and we all want something to solve our problems. Its easier to be mad at ourselves then be sad for others… but we still have each other and all the other students. We'll make it through this. Together."

Midoriya said nothing but nodded, wiping at his eyes. Uraraka gave him another squeeze before standing, so Iida could take her place and put his hand to Midoriya's shoulder. She came to Tsu's side and looked the girl over.

Tsu saw her eyes widen a little, pupils constricting as she looked over the carnage of Tsu's wounds. They must be bad to get a reaction like that, but Uraraka said nothing, looking at her with misty eyes, sitting beside her on a chair and stroking Tsu's free left shoulder. "The same goes for you Asui, were all in this together."

Tsu couldn't speak, but gave a grateful croak back.

"Can't talk? I wonder why…?" Uraraka frowned.

"She-" Midoriya began to speak but frozen, putting a hand to his mouth. He shuttered but shook his head. "I don't even wanna say what I saw happen to her…the stuff around her face and arm…"

SLAM

She jumped again when the door banged off the wall. Footsteps hurrying in.

"Izuku!"

"Mom…" Midoriya said, looking tearful as the woman almost barreled Iida over to get to her son. She put a hand to her boy's shoulder and inspected his arm.

"Oh god Izuku, look at you! What happened to my baby!?" She whimpered, pulling him into a hug, the boy returning it in full force. "Oh my goodness, what kind of school did you join!?"

Iida stepped back from them and nudged Uraraka, who nodded. They both stepped away from the beds towards the door. "We'll come back tomorrow guys, to give you some privacy."

Tsu might have been the only one to see them go. She waved them off with her only working hand, before looking back at the ceiling and listening to the two cry just a few feet from her.

Had her family come to see her today, but she had been passed out? No. It didn't even look to be night yet and she had likely just awoken after surgery. Did they know? Were they coming?

Well once they found out they'd be here faster than anything.

As Tsu listen to the two sobbing she felt her mouth frown under the gauze. The movement making a tingling sensation that would likely have been painful. Who was going to cook for her brother and sister in the morning, to let her mom sleep in? Who was going to help with the chores or walk Satsuki to swim practice…

Tsu wasn't sure when she'd be better to help with all that again.

Not to mention she'd likely miss school for a while-

Wait, what if this was serious enough that she'd have to quit U.A?! She had worked so hard to get in… What would she do if she couldn't be a hero?

"I don't want you going back to that school!" Midoriya's mother spoke suddenly, voice watery. "Its too dangerous-"

"Mom, you said you'd support me, no matter what…"

The woman paused before huffing sadly. "I don't know what I'd do if you died Izuku. Your all I have left. I want to support you, but this is… This is too much!"

"Mom, please…"

"I- what about your arm?" She asked. "You only have one- one arm-" She choked on her words before starting to weep again. "My baby only has one arm!"

"The doctors said there's a chance it can be reattached when I'm stable. They're flying a specialist in or something…" Midoriya spoke softly. "My arm won't be pretty and maybe even a little numb, but it will be there."

"I still don't like it." His mother said sternly. "This is so dangerous and reckless and-" She paused to take a deep breath, blowing it out in a calming motion. "And I am very emotional right now and we don't know how things will turn out. So it might be best to talk about this later, once everything is done."

"Thanks." Midoriya sounded so tired and doleful.

"I'm sorry, I know everything is likely hitting you from all side right now. I shouldn't add to it. Its just when you get a call that your son was attacked by a band of villains in the safety of his own school… A mother can get worked up. Add on the nurse saying they only have one arm-" She took another calming breath. "Well. Lets just go from here. I'm going to be staying overnight. Since this is the I.C.U I can't sleep in the room, but I'll be just down the hall in a waiting room."

"Mom you don't have to-"

"I want to."

Tsu didn't move when she heard them hug. Man, Midoriya had such a cool mom. The door opened again but it was another nurse this time. She walked to Tsu's bedside before speaking. "Alright its dinner time. Ms Midoriya, I know your going to be staying here for a bit, but I'm afraid we can only serve the patients. We do have a cafeteria down stairs for you and other visitors ."

"I understand." She said. "I'm not hungry right now, thank you."

"Ok, I'll bring yours in a minute Midoriya, I just have to set up Asui's Levin catheter." She said, setting up some kind of bag on an I.V stand. One of the tubes in her nose moved as she plugged it in, the liquid inside starting pool down into the tube, through her nose and down to her stomach. "Ok Asui, if you start feeling anything off with your breathing, just push the button, ok?"

She gave her a thumbs up.

"Oh I didn't even see anyone else when I came in here…" Midoriya's mother mumbled, embarrassed as the nurse left.

"Iida and Uraraka were here to, but I think they left to give us privacy. They were in the waiting room all day, getting checked up on themselves."

"Oh and I ran in all tearful." His mother groaned.

"Mom, this is my classmate and friend Tsuyu Asui. She was… there when this happened and I was there when she… got hurt to." Midoriya said.

"Oh you poor dears." The woman said, standing up. Her face appeared into Tsu's view and she had a similar reaction to Uraraka. Yet she held her friendly smile and gave her a little wave. "Well I'm Inko Midoriya! So nice to meet you."

Tsu made a garbled reply around her cotton stuffed mouth and managed to wave back a little.

"Oh don't push yourself." She said softly, lightly patting Tsu's shoulder. "You need to focus on getting better."

The nurse returned with Midoriya's food and Tsu found it a little funny that his mom watched him eat every bite. With the management job she had at the retirement home, her own mother didn't really keep an eye on who was eating what. She would put dinner out and let everyone grab what they may. Tsu's mother also gave all her children a list of chores to do to. Most likely to try and teach her children responsibility and self reliance, but Tsu usually did most of them as her siblings had a wandering pair of minds.

Her mom most likely hadn't realized what happened today. She'd get home, run ragged from work, then realize Satsuki needed to go to swim practice as Tsu hadn't taken her. Mom and Samidare would fight about him going, he'd ultimately lose, then pout on the bleachers while her mom tried to do something productive at the pool. Then with her dad out of town till tomorrow for business she'd likely not see her family until later.

She couldn't be that forgettable though right? They'd figure it out by tonight…

Tsu frowned painfully under her cast again.

The day slowly turned to night, the staff having to turn on the lights in the room. Midoriya's mom stayed in the room the whole time, sitting on the bed with him, trying to teach him how to play Solitary, so as to keep his mind from his injury. The medication was wearing off for both of them. Tsu could feel the light twinges now, which would surely be a horrible throbbing again come the middle of the night.

"Ms Midoriya, Izuku Midoriya?" Two doctors stood in the doorway, one holding a chart. Midoryia's mother quickly stood off the bed as the two entered the room. One of the doctors looked like a blue, gargoyle monster while the other was a human looking woman with pink hair. "I'm Dr Satou. This is Dr Shakuniku." The blue creature said, gesturing to each of them as he spoke. The pink haired woman, Dr Shakuniku, waved to them. "Were handling your son's condition."

"Do you know what's going to happen with his arm?" His mother asked, eyes wide.

"Well we're about to find out." Dr Shakuniku said, walking over to Midoriya's bed side. "I'm a Doctor from Tokyo who specializes in Limb replantation. I was flown over to help out as soon as word arrived." She spoke confidently. "I have a quirk that lets me control organic tissues, though only on a small scale. I would like to take a look at your arm if thats alright."

"Oh, yeah sure." Midoriya nodded.

The curtain was pulled between the beds so Tsu couldn't see, not that she'd want to, honestly.

"It hasn't been too long to reattach it, has it Doctor?" Midoriya's mother asked.

"Since quirks became so prevalent, limb damage has become much more common place, unfortunately. There have been many advancements in the field, but its still a touch and go operation." The Doctor explained. "We have his arm, which was recovered from the scene, in a special case, feeding it the required oxygen. It won't work more than twenty four hours, but we want to be sure Midoriya is ready for the operation. It's very painful, but we've found higher success in nerve recovery if the patient can test their movement as we work."

"Oh my…"

"It's a lot for anyone to do. Let alone a highschool student. However if Midoriya wants his arm back, its what must be done." Dr Shakuniku said softly.

It was quiet behind the curtain besides the shifting of bandages until Ms Midoriya gasped. "Oh my god-"

"Would you be more comfortable waiting in the hall Madam? This is a very gruesome injury, there's no shame in stepping outside, especially if your unused to such sights." Dr Satou said and Tsu began to note the mild smell of blood through her thick cast.

"I- no, no I'm ok…"

"I'm going to manipulate the muscle strands and nerves now. This will hurt, a lot, but I can get a clear view of how well the fibres will reattach and where everything is." Dr Shakuniku said. "Is that alright?"

"Whatever it takes." Midoriya said unwaveringly.

Tsu listened to a few more moments of silence before Midoriya yelped. The doctor didn't stop though, as she observed the wound and tried to evaluate it for possible reattachment. The boy had quieted down to whimpered and mumbling, Tsu wondering if she could hear his teeth grinding to.

"Everything looks really good." The doctor said finally, sounding relieved. "We shouldn't have a problem getting the arm back on!"

"Oh thank goodness." Ms Midoriya sighed.

"Your son had a few more wounds. Burns from the fire and some cracked bones, but he should recover fully from those." Dr Satou said. "His prognosis is good, despite the condition he arrived in." The man tapped his pen on a clipboard. "However we'd like to request a blood donation from you Ms Midoriya, as your the same blood type as your son. He'll need it after the operation."

"Of course!"

"We can do it tomorrow morning, first thing. However I just want to tell you that you cannot be in the room while the operation is happening, it would just upset you. Once we return him to this room you can stay as long as you like though." Dr Shakuniku said.

"I understand…"

"Good. Now lets wrap this backup, then you can rest up while I get to the next patient I need to see." Dr Shakuniku said. " We'll have the nurses give you something so you can sleep tonight, and please make sure to write down any questions you may have so I can answer them tomorrow."

Tsu stared at the ceiling as she listen to the doctors wrap up Midoriya's stump. Somebody else had lost a limb? She wondered who it could be. After a moment the Doctors stepped back out from behind the curtain, but they didn't pull it back open. Dr Shakuniku was changing her gloves when she turned towards Tsu.

"Ms Asui?"

What!? Tsu jolted when the doctors came to her next, eyes wide in confusion. She clenched her hands. Both there. She wiggled her toes. Everything accounted for…

At the panicked, uncertain look Dr Shakuniki turned to her coworker, faced worried under her mask. "Has she not been informed of her condition?" She whispered.

"Nurses said she woke up a few hours ago. They're trying to contact the parents, but there hasn't been anything yet. We usually try to wait for a guardian to be present to explain, but…" Dr Satou shrugged sadly.

"We're on a time crunch." She sighed. "Right. Ok, well we're just going to have to get consent from the patient then." Dr Shakuniki stood over Tsu then and gave a small simper. "Hello Ms Asui, I'm sure your very confused. I suppose the best thing to do is tell you bluntly."

The doctor took a deep breath.

"Your tongue was cut off."

Tsu stared at her.

"The damage was pretty bad from what I saw of the other side, partly weakened through a corrosive quirk, then tension ripped the other half clean off." She flipped through what Tsu numbly supposed was her chart. "However, I think you have a strong chance of having it replanted as well, given your age and how quickly it was iced. I just need to take a look, is that ok?"

Tsu stared at her.

"Ms Asui? Are you ok with-"

Tsu nodded quickly, but she was still processing the news.

Your tongue was cut off.

Your tongue was cut off.

Your tongue was cut off.

No wonder her mouth and throat felt empty, even with all this shit stuffed into her.

They pulled the curtain fully closed and doctors both started to remove her face bandages. Weight was slowly lifted and Tsu watched as the white roll of bandages slowly turned yellowish, to yellow with specks of red.

To fully red.

The last layer had areas stuck to her face in dry patches. They took those off carefully, but mild pain rippled through the last part of the medication. They paused, Tsu could see them frowning at her face. It burned a bit upon contact with the air and she shuttered. Dr Satou slowly opened Tsu's mouth, which stabbed with pain, and took some thick gauze from her mouth and throat.

All of it red.

The smell of blood was now thick in the air and Tsu felt nauseous. They didn't touch the tubes however and looked into her mouth. Thing were a little blurry, but from shock or the pain she wasn't sure… She could hear them talking…

"Had to use clamp- keep tongue- back into throat."

"Pretty rough ligaments shearing- tough to- need to cut clean to-"

"Planning to during operat- going to be hard on her- shorter- blood transfusion- missing teeth-"

"Asui?"

Tsu blinked, trying to focus in on the Doctors, whom both looked concerned. "Asui I'm going to manipulate the fibers. This will hurt and were going to put a device in your mouth to keep it open, is that ok?"

She was tempted to try and speak in response, but now knowing her tongue was snipped made her scared to try. She just nodded and gave them a thumbs up. She must have been pale or something as they exchanged a worried glance, but they put what looked like a short and wide plastic tube in her mouth. It was hard but the outside was padded a bit, to keep teeth from cracking.

Dr Shakuniki put her hands on either side of Tsu's face, her eyes glinting and turning pure red-

PAIN!

PAIN-PAIN-PAIN-!

 **PAIN!**

Tsu could tell she was letting out noises, a stifled, tight, quite scream that was garbled by tubes, clamps and her swollen tongue stump. Her knees were bent and her hands almost buried into the bed up to her second knuckles. Dr Shakuniki didn't stop though, focused solely on her work. Tsu couldn't feel what the woman was doing, the pain was too heavy to tell the individual movements. If she could say anything about the sensation, it felt like a porcupine was jabbed onto her tongue, each quill wiggling one after the other, digging deeper with each movement.

Finally she stopped and turned to Dr Satou. "Gauze."

Tsu could taste, with what remained of her tounge, copper and an acid like substance in her mouth. As they put new, clean gauze in her mouth she groaned. That had hurt so much, she was pretty sure nothing in her life had hurt as much as that had. Tsu wondered if this was the pain she would feel when they were sticking her tounge back on or if this pain was actually dull in comparison, as there were still remnants of medication in her.

"Its still bleeding, but you should be ok." Dr Satou commented, pulling the support out and filling her mouth with the gauze as well. Once it was full they looked at her face again.

"This is going to need skin grafting, but we can worry about that later." Dr Satou said, eyeing the damage. "For now we're gonna just put on something to help disinfect and clean it."

The goo they used was thick and it was applied generously over the injury, making it sting, then they wrapped her face back up like a mummy. Now the room smelt of blood and this disgusting smelling gunk.

Tsu was still shaking when they put the used bandages in a disposal, Dr Shakuniki leaning back over her. "Well Asui, I can safely say your tongue can be reattached. It's going to be very painful, but you should get full motion, and most of the sensory. Do we have your go ahead for that, tomorrow right after Midoriya's?"

Her head was spinning in the aftermath of agony her head was under. Could she really go through with that surgery? She had just gotten a small taste and it was so intense…

But could she live the rest of her life without her tongue?

Her mind recalled back to when her sister was still just learning to walk. Tsu was almost ten years old and her mom was cooking dinner, when Satsuki tripped near the stairs. Tsu stuck out her tongue on the wall, buffering it before stairs, just barely catching her little sister before she fell down the flight to the main floor.

Her tongue was an extension of herself. A limb she used almost subconsciously now. A quirk she had inherited from her mother..

Tsu gave them a wobbly thumbs up.

"Alright, I'm going to tell the nurses to give you something as well." Dr Shakuniki said, pulling her gloves off. "Your going to need your rest for tomorrow. Until then just try to relax and think about why your doing this operation, not what the operation is going to be like."

Yeah, cause it was gonna hurt.

They pulled the curtains back open and Tsu winced when the lights got brighter. The Doctors both cleaned up the mess and left the room, promising to see them before the surgery tomorrow. Tsu turned her aching head to look at the silent Midoriya's. Just as she could hear their diagnoses, they had heard hers. Inko and her son were curled together again on the bed, she was petting his hair in comfort and looking pointedly at the wall, trying to convey she hadn't tried to listen.

Izuku just stared at her with a haunting look in his eyes.

* * *

Tsu waited and waited for her parents to arrive. It was almost ten before she realised they'd likely not been reached and she wouldn't see them today. Honestly they should have seen she wasn't in her room tonight…

Maybe she was just a forgettable child… When she was five and her brother was born, she had felt very isolated as her mom and dad fawned over Samidare. She didn't have many friends, most of the other kids in kindergarten thought she was weird and ugly. With her parents busy she hadn't had anyone to spend time with. However she told herself at the time that her parents just wanted one of both. A boy and a girl…

When Satsuki was born she had been older, more understanding, but it was still hard to keep the thoughts away at night. Why had mom and dad had another baby when they already had one of both?

It was like they wanted to get it right for once…

Now she knew her parents just loved each other, and that love had given them children so they could love even more. Like overflow. Having more didn't mean the other children that came before were disappointments. It was just they were also very busy and didn't have much time to spend with their kids.

Still would have been nice if they could have spent a few minutes with her before this nerve wracking surgery…

She looked back at Deku and his mom. She was humming softly, now sitting in a chair and holding his hand. The boy was looking out the window with an empty expression, but squeezed his mother's hand every now and then.

Tsu was a little envious. Not that she begrudged Midoriya for having his mother here… She just wanted her's to.

Not to mention the examination before hadn't answered all her questions. She was still concerned about what was happening to her one eye. Then her left arm was still wrapped up for whatever reason, and she still couldn't recall how this had happened in the first place…

Something about villains and the USJ…

"Hello." A new nurse came in the room. "I'm here with the sedative. I just need to pop these in the and I'll be on my way."

"Oh-" Inko looked between the nurse and her son, who was still lost in thought. "Of course…"

She came to Tsu first, injecting the medicine into her I.V bag. The frog girl watched it swirl together with the fluid wearily.

"This one will take a bit to get started, its just meant to lull you to sleep." The nurse explained, coming to Deku next. "So if you start to feel sleepy, just let go and you'll be awake in the morning."

"Thanks." Midoriya mumbled softly.

"No problem, see you kids tomorrow." She smiled, walking out the door.

There were a few moment of silence before Midoriya turned to his mom. "You should go get something to eat."

"Oh I'm fine Izuku, don't worry about me."

"I'd feel better if you did." He said softly.

"Well… I suppose I could have a small something. If it would help you." She sighed, standing up. "Do you want some water? I don't think you're supposed to eat for twelve hours or so."

"Yeah, that sounds good." Midoriya nodded.

"Then I'll be back in ten minutes." Inko said, standing up. She didn't move though, looking uncertain. "I'll be back as soon as I can…"

"Its ok. I'll be here when you get back." Midoriya assured her, patting her hand. "Go a head."

"Ok…" She went for the door, lingering in the archway and looking back over her shoulder for a minute before going.

Tsu looked back to the ceiling. The ventilator ticked and the hospital PA echoed in the halls. Tsu took a moment to just hate how white and bland everything was here… Not like the cool green walls back home. It was calming and natural. With everything so white and clean she felt like she was in a testing lab.

"Asui."

She turned so she could see Midoriya, the boy was hunched over in his bed.

"Asui… I'm so sorry."

Ribbit?

Midoriya sniffled and clutched at his hair. "If I hadn't taken you to check on Mr Aizawa, then you wouldn't be hurt…" He trembled, sucking in a sobbing breath. "Mineta would still be… still be-" He choked on his words, pulling his head up to show watery eyes and a trembling chin.

Alive.

The word wasn't needed said. Yet Tsu frowned. This wasn't Midoriya's fault. He never asked for this. She had gone to check on Mr Aizawa with him of her own accord, he never made her, she could have just gone for the exit by herself.

Her father once said that if you wanted to be a hero, you need to be brave in the face of adversity.

Sometimes you just pay the price for it.

Everything throbbed again but Tsu forced herself to roll a bit more over, to see the boy fully. She gurgled though the gauze and slammed her good hand on the bedside rail, ignoring the pain. Midoriya looked up at her with tear layden eyes. She ignored it to pointed at him with a shaky hand and did the only thing she could right now.

She gave him a thumbs up.

Midoriya stared at her, before letting out a loud sob, thick tears trickling down his face as his shoulders shook violently. Unable to hold her position for very long, Tsu rolled back on her bed, listening to Midoriya cry loudly.

She didn't think he believed her.

* * *

Tsuyu's got a pretty rough road a head of her...

Thanks for reading guys! More on the way!


	2. Dreams and Nightmares

Tsu's eyes cracked open, morning light dancing across an unfamiliar ceiling. She studied it, noting a distinct lack of glow in the dark stars that her bedroom ceiling bore. Where was she again.

Whoosh, Click, Click. Whoosh, Click, Click. Whoosh, Click, Click.

Ventilator. Hospital. No tongue.

She moved her stump carefully, checking to see if it was still up where it needed to be. It was and the clamps were still keeping it from recoiling down her throat where it was normally.

Today was the surgery.

Goody.

Tsu looked around tiredly, seeing the curtains were pulled around her bed and wondering why.

"I punched him but my arm didn't break." Midoriya said from the other side, voice soft and almost not understandable. "It also didn't do any good against that crow monster though. I think he was a special creature, designed to kill you."

"This Nomu creature is troubling…." A deep voice responded to him, but his voice was even quieter. Tsu couldn't make out some of what he was saying over the ventilator. "If he can withstand-ouble-for all. We need to-with our quirk-"

What? Our quirk?

Tsu croaked in confusion.

At her noise all conversation stopped, then the curtain was flung open.

"YOUNG ASUI!"

Tsu almost fell out of her bed when All Might practically tore her curtains to shreds when he opened them, his arm's quick movements making a buffet of wind. The guy was always bigger then she remembered, the tops of his cowlicks touching the ceiling. He was smiling, as usual, but in a bit more of a subdued fashion.

"I just came to see how you two were doing, but you were still asleep!" All Might said grandly, sweeping his arm over her presence. "So Midoriya and I were just having a quick chat! Ha, Ha, ha!"

Tsu croaked again.

Midoriya was glancing between them, nervous though Tsu couldn't tell why. All Might didn't seem nervous.

"I heard about the operations you two are needing and thought I'd come give you some words of encouragement." All Might said, gesturing to them. "Just know that, no matter the hardships your enduring, the reward for hard work is all the sweeter! I happen to know Dr Shakuniki's work, I lost a finger to a villain once and she's the best in the country!" He held up his hand, his pinky having a small scar around the end. "I know it's not much compared to your injuries, but take heart in that U.A would only bring in the cream of the crop to treat their students!"

"That being said." All Might grew quiet. "I would like to apologize for my uselessness in the situation. Had I been there like I was supposed to, the results may have been very different… You children are partly my responsibility when your at school, and I let you down. The only thing I can do now is promise you that I will be better from now on."

" All Might…" Midoriya frowned.

Tsu stared at him, not sure what to say. One of the greatest heros in the entire world had just given her an apology…

"I do need to go and see the others, but I'll be back to talk once your injuries are more healed. They'll need to prep you soon for your operations, so I had better go." He said in a careful tone. "Once more, I apologize and I wish you a speedy recovery."

"But All Might-"

"We'll talk once your better young Midoriya." All Might said as he went for the door. "I'm looking forward to seeing you both back in class."

"Well we will see about that."

They all looked to see Ms Midoriya at the door, hands on her hips though she just looked forlorn with some bags under her eyes. "Ah, Ms Midoriya." All Might spoke. "Thank you for giving me a private moment alone with your son."

"It's no trouble." She sighed, walking to the chair by her son's bed. " How are you this morning Izuku?"

"Fine, how was the waiting room?"

"Well the chairs were hard, but I just spent the night reading…" Inko said, reaching behind her son to fluff his pillow. "Not that I think I could sleep honestly."

"Well…" All Might looked awkward, but was still inching towards the exit. "I suppose I should go. Ms Midoriya, young Midoriya, young Asui."

However his second farewell only got him two steps out the door, when some yelling started up.

"THERE HE IS!"

" All Might ! All Might ! What happened at the U.S.J?!"

"Any news about the villains? Were there any arrests on site?!"

"We're you teaching at the time of the incident?!"

Lights flashed wildly over All Might's form and Tsu realized it was the press, somehow making it past the hospital security to find him. The man actually seemed spooked when they kept questioning him.

"I have already made my official statement!" All Might insisted, trying to be patient and making a calming motion with his hands. "I stand with the school that nothing else will be released about the issue until all the facts have been brought together-"

"What is the school hiding?!"

"Is it true two pro heros were taken down in the attack?!"

"If you were not teaching, what were you doing!?"

"Ah-" All Might paused. "Well, I was-"

"Why are you visiting this room?!"

"Thats-" All Might looked pale.

"Are some of your students here?! You do know this is the ICU don't you?! How badly were they injured?!"

"Now that's enough!" All Might commanded, but it seemed unconvincing to the crowd of news reporters. "We don't need to bother them, they-"

" So some students are in this room! What kind of injuries do they have?! Do they have permanent damage?!"

Tsu twitched, her free hand going to her face. She had never been good with the spotlight and always figured she'd be a relatively unknown hero. She hated it when people tried to record her talking or take her picture, she didn't think she was that pretty. Now it was going to be worse! All the noise was stressing her out…

A chair squealed as Ms Midoriya stood, face red and scowling. She marched to the door and, surprisingly, push All Might out of the way into the hall. "Now all of you listen here!" She ordered. "Your all acting shamefully! This is a hospital and my son is ill! What kind of people are you, saying those sorts of things?! I demand that you-"

"MAM'! You said your son is injured, is he a student at U.A?! Was he in the U.S.J?!"

"Can he make a statement?!"

"What?! Didn't you hear me?! I- Hey!" Inko yelped and almost toppled over when hands tried to get into the room, some having cameras and some having microphones. She managed to push a few out, All Might helping with the others.

"Come on, just a few shots for the evening news!"

Tsu croaked. She had no desire to let people see her like this. Not with her face all screwed up and in hospital pajamas. The last thing she needed was her bloodied, bandaged face plastered across the japanese airwaves. Her monitor began to spike again with her anxiety and she moaned, thinking that she may be able to stand and close the curtain. She pushed herself up into semi-seated, sour copper trickling into her mouth, when a hand was put on her shoulder, urging her to lay back down.

Izuku face was pained but stern, he studied her one worried eye before heading to the door, movements a bit unsteady, clearly because of his missing arm weight. Not to mention, by the way he was keeping his stump from swinging, it was likely hurting him a lot. The adults were now all out in the hall, arguing with each other. Izuku staggered to the doorway, standing in it with a disappointed and frustrated expression. His eyes were a touch teary, most likely from his discomfort, but he held the anger flaming in his gaze as he glared out at the mob assembled.

The lights were still flashing for a second, but they stalled and everyone slowly fell silent. Once Izuku was sure each of them had had a good look at his arm, and his bitter, disgruntled face, he took the door and slammed it so hard the wall rattled, the noise echoing down the hall.

"Vultures." Midoriya muttered, walking back to his bed.

Tsu relaxed again, laying back on her pillows, her monitor falling silent again once her pulse steadied.

Thank you Midoriya…

* * *

It took less than a few minutes for security to arrive and remove the press All Might making sure they were really gone by escorting them to the door. Inko came back in to find Izuku laying on his side, facing the window, still stewing about the reporter's callous nature.

They'd likely have talked this out, had the nurses not arrived.

It was time for Midoriya's surgery.

They strapped him down to his bed as they explained. "Dr Shakuniku will come in to walk you down and answer your questions. We just need to make sure you won't make much movement and mess up the delicate work, you see." The kind woman explained. "Is this too tight? Can you breath?"

"Yes, I'm ok…" The boy nodded, though he looked nervous now, testing the strength of the bonds strapped over his limbs and torso.

"Good. I'll be back with the doctor to wheel you over." She said, going back out the door. "If you need anything just press the button."

Izuku watched her leave before jerking at his mother's sob. He looked up at her in concern. "Don't worry mom, I'll be alright." He put on a strained smile. "All Might said she's the best doctor for this in the country!"

"I just can't believe you lost your arm! School is supposed to be a safe place…"

"It is!" Midoriya said quickly, looking nervous. "This was just an freak incident! U.A has some of the best security in the world! We were just unfortunate enough to be the class that fell into the small percentage of failure!"

"Well I-" Inko paused to take a deep breath. "No. No, we need to get through this. We can talk more about school afterward, when everything's under control and we're at home."

Izuku looked like he wanted to argue for a moment, but paused thoughtfully before nodding in agreement. "At home."

Inko took another calming breath, pressing a kiss to her son's forehead. "I'll be in the waiting room while your in surgery, then when you get out I'll be right there!"

"Thanks mom." Izuku smiled. "But ummm, could you wait with Asui? Until her family can come in? I'm worried the press will come back and she can't get out of bed…"

"Of course! If she wants me to, that is?" Inko said, looking at her.

Tsu gave them a thumbs up, happy she wouldn't be in the room alone.

Inko smiled at her, though she was still looking uneasy. "Oh, I can pass the time by telling you stories from when Inzuku was a baby!"

"Mom!"

Inko just chuckled at her son's reaction, petting his hair.

The door opened, everyone turning to see Dr Shakuniku and Dr Satou walking in. "Good Morning everyone, we're ready to get started." Dr Shakuniku said, looking between Midoriya and his mother. "Do you have any questions before we wheel you up?"

The two shared a quick look. "Uh, how long do you think this will be?" Izuku asked.

"No more than two hours. It's not all under the knife though, sorta speak, we stop for periods of rest to keep you from going into shock." She explained. "You should be out by nine and then we'll take Ms Asui up."

Good…

"Whats the chances of something going wrong?" Inko frowned.

"Very low. The process is controlled and gradual. The only thing we're worried about is if Midoriya fliniches or moves suddenly. That's why he's leathered for now." Dr Shakuniku said. "The operation basically entails that I will be reattaching his arm, cell by cell. Its just a touch tedious and I will need to focus. Our only other worry is the limbs lack of blood but your donation should keep that from being an issue."

"When its all over we'll give you some medication to help with the discomfort. Then you can have some food if your feeling up to it." Dr Satou added, looking at his co-worker.

"If you don't have any other questions we can begin to head up." Dr Sakuniku looked at them.

Inko looked back at her son, but he just shrugged under his binding. She seemed to steel herself, then pressed a few dozen kisses into his hair and on his face, the boy holding still for her to do so. "I'll be here when you get out." Inko said softly. "I love you."

"Love you to." Izuku nodded, looking nervous though he put a smile on his face. "See you soon."

Inko gave him a few more kisses, following along as Izuku's bed was rolled from the room. She only stopped at the doorway, watching tearfully as he was taken away down the hall. The room fell into silence.

Tsu watched the woman wring her hands and linger in the entry. She wasn't sure how she could try and comfort Ms Midoriya, not without words or basic body movement. However she wasn't sure if she was even up to the task, not with what was looming in her near future. Soon enough Tsu would be the one strapped to her bed, ready for the doctors to reattach her severed limb, cell by excruciating cell.

The chair scraped the floor again when Inko pulled it to Tsu's bedside. The woman sat, twiddling nervously with her hands, thankfully seeming more clam now. "I'm sorry about that dear… A mother does worry. Now Izuku said your name was Tsuyu Asui right?"

Tsu gave her a shaky thumbs up.

"Oh good, I remembered! Well I think I promised you some stories from Izuku's baby days…"

Though still a bit tired, Tsu looked at her with interest.

* * *

Tsu sighed and tapped her pencil on her desk, looking over the garbled notes she had taken. For some reason she was restless, she wanted to get out of class and do something. Tsu looked back up to Mr Aizawa, who was giving a lecture on basic quirk laws. It was something she had had drilled into her head since elementary school, and even if this was just a review for the next stage of their studies, how quirk laws change for hero work, Tsu was bored out of her gourd.

She put her head in her hand, watching him write on the board. His writing was always so small, even sitting this close to the board she had issues reading it. Maybe she needed glasses…

Mr Aizawa turned his head when he heard muttering, stopping his writing. Tsu looked over, finding Izuku writing furiously in his book, lips moving a mile a minute. Bakugo jammed his elbow into the green haired boy's desk. Startling him. "Oie!" The blonde snapped, Izuku turning red when he realized he had been speaking out loud again.

"Bakugo, Midoriya. Settle down." Aizawa ordered, shaking his head. "I won't tolerate anymore interruptions. Midoriya, please keep your 'thoughtful narration' to yourself."

"Yes sir." Midoriya nodded quickly.

Their teacher eyed them, but turned back to the board. "Moving along. When flight quirks were beginning to enter society-"

Tsu rolled her eyes a little, not interested in this class at all. Weren't they supposed to go on a field trip today or something-?

"Asui."

She jumped a bit, looking back to see Aizawa staring at her crossly. In fact most of the class had turned to gaze at her, like she had been caught passing notes or something. She sunk in her seat, unsure of what she did wrong, Mr Aizawa still scowling. "I thought I told the class I wouldn't tolerate anymore interruptions."

Tsu blinked, still confused.

The man's eyes glanced down to her desk and uniform before shaking his head. "Not to mention what you've done to your school clothes. You need to keep your uniform in good condition."

Tsu narrowed her eyes and frowned, looking down at her desk.

A large puddle of blood was over her notes and desk, dribbling down her uniform. Tsu gasped, shocked at the sight, but even more blood rushed from her mouth in a wave once it opened. She clasped her hands over her mouth desperately, trying to stem the flow, but it just gushed between her fingers.

"If you can't control yourself you'll need to wait out in the hall." Aizawa said stiffly, reaching into his desk. "I'll give you a pass but I want to talk to you after class is done."

He pulled out a pale, severed arm with freckles on it. One that was hauntingly familiar.

Tsu spun to look for Izuku, but the boy was gone, in his place was a large bird creature, its brain sticking out the top of its head, with wild yellow eyes and sharp teeth. A beast so large it look almost comical in Izuku's small desk. It had blood on it's hands and was looking straight ahead.

When had he transferred here? Where was Midoriya?

Somehow she knew his name was Nomu, so they must have met…

"ASUI!" Aizawa snapped, making her look back at him. Her teacher was clearly more aggravated. "Come take the pass and wait outside." As he spoke, he thrust Midoriya's arm towards the classroom door, which oddly went rigid, pointing toward the exit. "I will not have you distracting the other students. Go now or I will be forced to expel you."

Tsu urged her legs to move, but they felt heavy. She didn't understand!

"Maybe she's just stressed…."

A new voice came into Tsu's ears. One that sent a chill down her spine, making her shutter. She turned, not finding Mina's pink head in front of her, but a white haired boy. His back was to her and he chuckled. "I can help with that…"

He turned, a fake looking hand grasping his face and hiding his features, save for one red eye. His appearance made Asui's insides turn to ice and she quivered when he adjusted in his seat to face her, reaching out his open hand toward her. "I'll send her to the nurses office, no problem…"

His hand got closer. Tsu could smell something sour and burnt on his skin. She got a flash of something copper in his mouth. She could see every etch and scratch in his palm, shadows growing darker the closer it got-

"ASUI!"

She jolted, coughing around the stuffing in her mouth, her life support machine beeping wildly. Someone was holding her hand tight and she almost ripped herself up off the bed.

"Easy sweetheart! Its ok! Your safe! Its ok!" A woman's voice said frantically, squeezing her wrist.

Her gaze darted over, finding Inko Midoriya leaning over her bed in a worrying manner.

She was still in the hospital? How did-

"Everything ok in here?" A nurse called from the door, looking in to check on the noise.

"I think she had a bad dream, she drifted off while I was telling her a story…" Inko said,patting Tsu's hand.

Well that had been rude of her…

"You ok dear?" The nurse asked, walking to stand at Tsu's other side. "I can't give you any numbing medication but I could get you a warm blanket."

Tsu looked back and forth, trying to gather her bearings. She was in the hospital. She was still in the hospital. It was just a dream… Inko seemed to sense her confusion, as she lent over Tsu and stroked her hair, repeating the question to make sure Tsu had understood. "Do you want a warm blanket honey?"

The pain Tsu had felt when she first woke up had returned, making it hard to concentrate. However a warm blanket sounded like heaven right now and she gave another, shaky thumbs up to the nurse.

"I'll be back!" The nurse chirped as she left.

"There we go, that will be nice when she gets back." Inko said soothingly. "You lay down and relax, it was just a bad dream. Your safe now."

Tsu sighed, laying back on her bed. Her brain was still buzzing, trying to process what her mind had conjured. A giant bird monster, Izuku's severed, bleeding arm, her own pooling blood, a boy with white hair, whose hands stank of burning flesh…

Were they the ones at the U.S.J? Were they the ones who had attacked the class?

Tsu tried to remember, but nothing came up from the foggy blank space that day held in her mind. The nurse came back, putting the aforementioned blanket over her form, Tsu soaking in the heat like the cold blooded amphibian her quirk was replicating. She snuggled into it contently.

"Have you been able to get in contact with the Asui's?" Inko asked, still stroking Tsu hair.

"Not yet." The nurse frowned, shaking her head. "The school's trying to but the Asuis seemed to have dropped off the grid or something…"

"Oh, well thank you…" Inko muttered, watching the nurse leave. The green haired woman shook her head and sat down, holding Tsu's hand. "Oh honey, I hope your family comes soon. You'll be taken up in about twenty minutes or so. It be nice if they could comfort you for a bit, god knows they would know how to better than I would..."

Asui squeezed Ms Midoriya's hand, trying to tell her that her presence was helping enough. Her stories about Izuku as a child had helped her to sleep, even when she was so nervous about her treatment.

Yet there was truth to Inko's words. As nice as she was, Ms Midoriya wasn't Tsu mother. Inko was a little too hovering and nervous. Her mom was withdrawn, calm and just a touch stern. Maybe when Tsu was younger she was more like Ms Midoriya, but after she entered middle school her mom tended to focus on her younger siblings and her argous job. Not to say she wasn't attentive or caring. When she got into U.A Tsu's mom had hugged her tightly, swinging her around the kitchen in excitement. It was just she was really stretched thin these days and was too tired to show much emotion when she got home.

Tsu looked at Inko's face, the woman frowning and looking at the door, a tiny bit peeved. Tsu was sure Ms Midoriya wasn't thinking too highly of her parents right now… They were just busy though and Tsu tended to leave before they woke up and get back while they were still working. They may have assumed she was stuck to school for a bit last night and just not gotten the messages.

Forgettable child…

"Ms Midoriya?"

Dr Satou came in the room, holding a clipboard. He smiled at them as he wrote. "I'm happy to report that Izuku came through just fine! He's being preped to brought back down now and there should be no further complications. Recovery Girl will be stopping by to give the children a healing session before they leave, but everything makes it look like Izuku can leave as early as tomorrow."

"Thank goodness." Inko smiled. "Thank you Doctor."

"We'll need to set Asui up next so we need you to leave the room. If you do want to visit her again, just wait with Izuku once he's back in the room." Dr Satou explained. "Dr Shakuniku can talk to you after she finished with Ms Asui."

Inko nodded, looking back down at Tsu. "Ok Tsuyu, I'll be going, but I know your gonna do great. Just stay strong ok?" She smiled sadly and patted Tsu's shoulder.

Tsu gurgled softly to her.

The next few moments moved by quickly, much to the dismay of her frazzled nerves. Inko left and the nurses came to strap her down to the bed. Her arms, legs and even head were tied tightly to the rails of her bed, to the point of them being completely immobilized. Tsu felt her panic growing, she was completely at the mercy of the hospital staff and while they had good intentions, it was still with the idea of causing her pain…

They wheeled her out with the ventilator and vitals monitor tagging along, past Ms Midoriya in the hall who waved to her, and around the corner towards the elevator. She swallowed around her tubing when the doors swept open and they took her inside. Just a short ride to the right floor, then it was time-

"TSUYU!"

She blinked, looking back towards the halls, but found the door had closed before she could see who had called her.

* * *

The operating room was small, there was a large light on the ceiling was a bit blinding. She was laying in her bed in the center of the room, people bustling around outside the edges of her vision. From what she could see there was a tray of tools, a plastic box and a large collection of sinks across the room.

Dr Shakuniku was washing her hands, coming over with a nurse wheeling the tray. "Hey there Tsuyu." She smiled behind her mask. "We're going to start by taking out your breathing tube and your Levin catheter. I need you to tell me if you having trouble breathing ok?"

Tsu gave a minute nodd, all that her straps allowed. They took out the levin first, a nurse pulling it out quickly and Tsu shuttering at the disturbing sensation. Next came the extubation, with the nurses apparently deflating a small air balloon in her trachea that kept the tube still, then pulling that out. Tsu coughed harshly when they removed it until an oxygen mask was placed over her nose and mouth.

"You alright?" Dr Shakuniku asked, watching her closely. Tsu managed to steady her breathing, giving the woman a nodd. "Ok good. We're going to keep moving." Taking the mask away they started to remove her bandages next and from what Tsu could see, they were a little better in colour. Just yellow now. Her eye fluttered with the pain-

"Ahhh!" A young nurse made the noise when her wraps were fully off, Tsu looking to her and seeing horror on her face. It made her stomach drop. How bad was her face?!

Dr Shakuniku had no sympathy for the nurse however. "You. Out ." She hissed commandingly, glaring the young nurse out of the room before frowning down at Tsu. "Sorry about that Asui. Don't mind her, she's new." Dr Shakuniku sighed "Were not going to worry about that injury for now, ok? Were focused on your tongue. "

For now…

They coaxed her mouth open, healed skin around the left side cracking and stinging as they did so, and inserted the mouth restraint, locking it around her head. A nurse reached a gloved hand into her mouth and pull her tounge out the best she could, Tsu gagging in pain. Once she had it out, they locked it in place at the top of the restraint tube with a clamp.

"Ok Ms Asui, take a moment to breath. Were going to continue setting up, you just relax a minute." Dr Shakuniku said calmly, patting Tsu's hand as workers milled about them. She tired, honestly she did, but there was no possible way she could relax! She was about to have her tongue reattached for crying out loud. Then the nurse screaming at her face and this tube in her mouth…

Tsu looked up when a tray of sharp looking tools were rolls to her side.

Oh god.

They also brought over the plastic box, which had a biohazard sign on the side and a machine pumping something inside it. That was likely her other half…

It was so nice she could take deep breaths again.

"Ok we all set? Emergency standing by just in case?" Dr Shakuniku asked, looking at her staff. She seemed to get the answer she wanted, and nodded, turning to Tsu. "Alright. Here we go Tsuyu. Try and bare with us, we're going to keep an eye on your vitals and make sure we don't over do it. Take deep breaths, that will help manage the discomfort." Tsu shook as Dr Shakuniku took up a large, glinting tool that looked like gardening shears. "First we need to cut the uneven areas on both sides."

Cold steel closed around her stump and Tsu looked to the ceiling. The feeling of the blade cutting a solid inch off her tongue was burning and made her mind stall furiously, throbbing or echoing in a way that made her unable to conceive simple thought, as if her brain was trying to deny what was happening to her.

People were buzzing about her, conversations that were beyond her capacity to understand for the moment. They were putting gauze on the cut and she could see it turn bright red the instant it made contact. All she could taste was copper and acid.

The first impact of the pain faded to a throbbing burn. She was trembling and distantly felt someone wipe her forehead clear of sweat… Tsu wasn't sure if she was making any noise or not, her throat hurt but that wasn't unusual anymore.

"Ok now we're - start to- -ttach the tong-" Words bounced in and out of her range of hearing. She noted them pulling the plastic box closer through her hazy vision. Dr Shakuniku opened it and pulled out something long.

Tongue, right.

It was pale and the stump reminded Tsu more of something you'd find in the deli section, rather than in her mouth, but she could tell it was still … well… alive. It hadn't lost all its colour and she could see things hooked onto it to keep it viable…

Dr Shakuniku held it in one hand, using her other to cut off the ripped looking end with little effort. Vaguely Tsu thought about a grocery store deli again.

"Ok- rting to put y- ck together."The doctors said, some nurses holding the tongue to it place of origin. Dr Shakuniku put her hands on either side, eyes glowing red-

Tongues aren't that important are they? No, of course not. So there was no need to endure this much SUFFERING anymore.

OH GOD-OHGODOHGODOHGODOHGOD-

The needles inside her tongue feeling was back ,but it was like they were driven deep inside the wounded flesh. Strangely enough the only way she could describe it was a burning cold with an electric buzz. Like a thunderstorm in December. Tsu couldn't hear or possibly see past the pain, not much but white was visible to her now.

The pain etched deeper and deeper into her flesh until a new sensation shot down into her head. A taste, bitter and sour, like that dry flavour you'd get if you slept with your mouth open. The pain dulled then and something patted her face. Her back and throat were aching...

"-sui?"

Her ears rung but Tsu's hearing returned. She squinted up to the shadows above her.

"Can you move your tongue?"

Distantly she heard the question, but had to let the words bounce around in her head to understand them. Tsu tried to feel it or move it or something….

"Ok, good!" The person above her said, sounding pleased. It appeared as if she had done as asked. "Were going to keep going now. Keep holding on, alright?"

Tsu made a noise deep in her throat.

She could feel them moving her tongue around, then-

Well, at least Tsu could tell she was screaming the entire procedure.

How long this went on for, she had no clue. The pain intensified and dulled at a staggering rate, and the people around her became just background filler. The only one she could focus on, and rarely at that, was Dr Shakuniku, who'd pause the surgery to check her ability to move her severed limb, and to see if Tsu was doing alright.

By the end Tsu was just slumped on the table, eyes staring blindly at the ceiling, too tired and drained of all her will power to do anything else in face of the agony she felt. Voices murmured around her, but hell if she knew what they said. The pain grew dull again, but instead of giving her encouragement this time, they poked the tubes back down her nose.

Tsu gramanced at this, confused, until something released and her tongue instinctively started to recoil back into her mouth.

Oh, they were done…

The reason they put the tubes back in became apparent when she felt how big and swollen it had gotten being reattached. It felt like somebody had tied a knot in the middle of her tongue. She swallowed it back with a wince, her throat was sore, her tongue was sore, everything was sore.

Her face was rebandaged, she could tell through the fog because she could feel the weight of the bandages and cream. She jerked when the bed started to roll again, likely back to her room. Compared to before everything was moving so fast.

Tsu opened her eyes when the elevator shook, looking around wearily. Her sight was starting to come back to normal, but her ears were still buzzing and deaf. When the elevator doors opened she winced at the light and clenched her eyes shut.

POP.

Instantly she was assaulted by the sounds of a busy hospital when her ears started back up. The PA paging and people bustling. Tsu whined, her voice coming out slurred around her tongue. It appeared her face wrap had left enough room for her to speak, at least.

"Set her up in her room and shut the curtain, we'll check up on her in an hour." Dr Shakuniku ordered nearby, Tsu watched as they rolled her into her room and her eyes drifted to see if Midoria was there, but his bed was empty.

"We won't need the ventilator or vitals machine, but I-"

"Dr Shakuniku…." A new voice came and Tsu finally spotted the Doctor outside the doorway with a nurse. "I just wanted to tell you that the-"

Tsu didn't hear anything else when they pulled the curtain closed. She blinked and sighed, trying to relax as the nurses around her bed arranged some blankets. The Iv that had been following her along this entire time was refilled, one nurse injecting something with a needle.

"There we go, now that the surgery is over you can have some pain medication." The nurse said kindly, checking the device for any issues. "Now you get some rest ok?"

Tsu said nothing but watched the drip of fluids into her arm. Some pain medication sounded like a god sent right now…

Once the nurses were sure she was settled, they left her alone, closing the door behind them. Tsu let her eye wonder the room blankly, trying to ignore how much everything was pounding painfully. It wasn't helping that her mind was still reeling after the ordeal. It felt like time was an enigma, shifting between fast paced moment and slow, grinding seconds. One moment she was still in surgery for hours, the next she was wheeled down here in an instant. The room spun slightly and Tsu winced, thinking it maybe best to sit down.

Wait she was already laying down right?

Closing her eyes Tsu whimpered. She pressed her tongue to the roof of her mouth and tried to think of calming thoughts. Anything to get away from this overwhelming situation. Past the headaches and burning flesh…

She peered back down her bed when the door opened and closed. Was Midoriya back? Or a nurse?

The curtain shifted before Ganma Asui poked his head in.

Dad.

Tsu stared at him, still a little out of it, but feeling a warm sensation in her chest, knowing her family had come to see her. Her dad was staring at her and Tsu, mind muddled, wasn't sure why… Usually the Asui could read each others emotions easily, even if the rest of the world had a hard time with their limited expressions.

He must be wondering why she was in surgery. Maybe he got here a little bit before she came down, and the Doctors hadn't had time to explain…

Tsu grunted, body twitching at the effort to lift her head, to look at him directly. She heaved a difficult breath, speaking with a tight, rasping slur.

"They putt mah t-tongue bac on…."

She wasn't sure if he heard her, or even understood what she had said. She couldn't get much of a volume out. She hardly had the strength to keep her head up… speaking of, she slumped back into her bed with a pained puff. Tsu wiped at her face tiredly, squinting at her good hand when she realized it was no longer tied down.

It was shaking. From exhaustion or pain, Tsu didn't know. Could be either at this point.

Something squeaked and the curtain was pulled closed before Tsu felt two arms slip under her and pull her up into a strong hold. Everything twinged but her father moved quickly, sitting back down on the bed and arrange the tubing safely, until she was cradled in his hold like a newborn.

It had been a long time since anyone had held her like this. At least ten years or so. Her dad still hadn't said anything but Tsu relaxed greatly at the simple gesture. The warmth of the embrace was calming and well, even if her father wasn't really a hero in a literal sense, she felt so safe with him around. Like nothing could hurt her here.

Tsu sighed contently, feeling the effects of the painkillers beginning to take hold.

She drifted off to sleep in a matter of moments as her dad stroked her hair softly.


End file.
